Means for the preparation of glace fruit



Aug. 15, 1939. c. LACHMAN 2,169,352

MEANS FOR THE PREPARATlON OF GLACE FRUIT Original Filed March 12, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FEED 7 mean BATH i I 2 5 osmaam coo/(ms REHEATERS c00/rERs j cA/ v ,0 v M s 5 (6 DIM/-51? 7 0 0 O Q Hume/Hm M 7 CAN $541.59 /4 CAN com/Iva BATH INVENTOR CHARLES LA cHM 1v ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1939. c. LACHMAN MEANS FOR THE PREPARATION OF GLACE FRUIT Original Filed March 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES LAcHMA A/ ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1939. c L M 2,169,362

MEANS FOR THE PREPARATION Of GLAGE FRUIT Original Filed March 12, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR CHARL ES LA CHMAN BY 474M ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1939. c. LACHMAN MEANS FOR THE PREPARATION OF GLACfi FRUIT Original Filed March 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CHA 2455' LA C'HMA 1v ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles Lachman, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to S & W Fine Foods, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Original application March 12, 1937, Serial No. 130,522. Divided and this application August 3, 1938, Serial No. 222,822

6 Claims.

This invention relates to food processing, and particularly to apparatus for draining glac fruit products while maintaining it at a sterilizing temperature and a desired humidity, this application being a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 130,522, filed March 12, 1937.

Among the objects of this invention are: to provide apparatus for the effective draining of glazed fruits and the like, prior to packaging; to

provide such apparatus which will maintain the product at sterilizing temperature during the draining process; to provide draining apparatus which will operate continuously rather than by batches; and to provide an apparatus permit- 5 ting the production of a new and improved type of product, i. e., a moist and tender glac fruit or peel, packaged in sealed containers, without appreciable unabsorbed sugar syrup.

Other objects of my invention will be apparcut or will be specifically pointed out in the description forming a part of this specification, but I do not limit myself to the embodiment of the invention herein described, as various forms may be adopted within the scope of the claims.

Briefly as to apparatus, my invention comprises a dicer of unique design combined with a de-ragger, apparatus for cooking and otherwise treating the material to be processed, and apparatus for preparing the treated fruit for canning. I have illustrated the component apparatus in the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a schematic assemblage of the entire apparatus and the order of operation.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the dicer.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the dicer.

Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view of another portion of the dicer.

Figure 5 is a schematic view, partially in section, of the de-ragger.

Figure 6 is an end view of the de-ragger, showing the feeding mechanism therefor.

Figure '7 is a schematic view in partial section of apparatus for removing the syrup from the fruit prior to canning.

Figure 8 is a schematic end view of the same component.

My invention may be better understood by reference to the figures and details thereof.

50 The preparation of glac fruits, sometimes called simply candied fruits, involves the impregnating of the fruit with a sugar solution. Cheaper and less satisfactory candying may be done by cooking the material for only a short I time, and applying to the surface a coating of heavy syrup to produce a smooth, glazed surface.

The better product is obtained, however, by impregnating the entire fibre. with a highly concentrated syrup, so that the fruit is fully plumped out and an even sugary texture is ob- 5 tained throughout. This requires approximately ten days of repeated cooking and cooling, while constantly soaking in a syrup bath the density of which is gradually increased during 10 the process.

The infiltration of sugar is accomplished more rapidly if the fruit is cut in small sections, or diced, rather than cooked whole or in halves. It is usual practice to candy figs and cherries whole, to halve apricots, peaches and pears, to slice pineapple into conventional annular form, and to dice citron, lemon, grapefruit, orange and similar fruits, using only the shell, or skin.

When the peel or skin only of citrus fruits is to be used, the inner skin or rag which encloses the fruit proper is removed. Ordinarily this is done by hand, and since the rag and peel are very adherent, the process is slow and expensive. It is a part of the present invention to provide 25 means for mechanically dicing the shells and separating the rag from the peel, and in consequence to make possible profitable utilization of the half-orange skins or shell which are available in quantity after the extraction of juice for sale, canned or fresh. The details of the dicing and de-ragging mechanisms will be described below.

The preparation of citrus fruit shells from which the pulp has been removed begins, referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, with a short period of boiling in .plain' water in cookers I, which may be of any convenient form, after which they are placed on a feed belt 2 leading to the dicer 4 which will be described in detail hereafter. After dicing the cut peels are washed 40 in a bath 5, and the inner skin is separated from the outer in the de-ragger 6, which also drains. oi? the washing water.

The diced peel is then placed in cookers I, which may conveniently be steam-jacketed copper vats or tubs, and in which is prepared a sugar syrup. A satisfactory initial concentration of syrup may be obtained by mixing sugar and water in the proportion of one cup of water to one pound of sugar for each pound of diced fruit Y to be added.

Live steam is then admitted to the jacket, and the mixture boiled vigorously for a short period, which may be from one quarter to one half hour. More rapid heating may be secured by passing steam through a series of pipes formed of copper or other non-corrosive metal, placed within the vat or cooker. For ease in cleaning, the pipes may be protected from direct contact with the fruit by a metal screen having apertures therethrough of sufficient size to permit free passage of the syrup, while restraining the fruit particles. The construction of these cookers is, however, conventional, and I may adopt any form of cooker which is available.

After a short period of boiling the mixture is allowed to cool, and this process is repeated at desired intervals over a period of ten days. Each cooking period causes the sugar syrup to become more dense, and the fruit gradually absorbs the sugar throughout its entire cross-section.

It may sometimes be desirable to produce a mixture of various types of fruits. In this case, other citrus fruit shells may be prepared in the same fashion and added in the cookers. Cherries, figs, pineapple and other desired components may be conventionally treated and added in proper proportion. The repeated cookings in the same syrup will then produce a pleasingly blendbecome sufficiently tender and are well plumped" by absorption of the sugar, are ready for canning.

The mixture to be canned is brought to the proper temperature in re-heaters 9, which may be steam-jacketed preserving kettles of conventional design, and then passed into a drainer ID, to be described in detail later. While in the drainer the juice is removed, but the fruit is maintained in a moist condition by a humidifier H which operates in conjunction with heating apparatus to maintain the fruit at proper canning temperature.

The drained fruit is placed in cans 2, which are immediately sealed in a can sealer H of conventional type, the cans soldered and placed in a cooling bath l5, after which they .are ready for labeling and use.

I believe that I am thus the first to provide a method of packing glac fruits in hermetically sealed containers without drying and without a syrup. It has been necessary, in the previous state of the art, to dry the fruit in ovens or the open air, which renders it noticeably less succulent and tender, or if packed in sealed containers, to surround the fruit with a sugar syrup in order to prevent contamination or spoilage, and to make possible ease of handling commercially. Having described the process as a whole, I wish to describe with greater particularity the construction of my dicer, which is illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Y

A frame 2| supports a motor 22 which drives the cutting elements through the medium of a reduction gear 24 and endless chain 25, and a second reduction gear 26 driven by an endless chain 21 from gear 28. These gears 24 and 26 are supported upon axles 29 and 3|), respectively,

which are journaled in conventional journal bearings 3| fixed to frame 2| in suitable position, and carry sprockets 28 and 43 fixed relative to said gears.

Citrus fruit shells to be diced are placed upon an endless conveyor belt 32 supported at either end by rolls 34 and 35 driven by an endless chain 36. The rolls 34 and 35 are rotatably carried by Journals 3| fixed to the frame 2| in such position that the shells are carried under a cutting drum 31, which acts as a holder for circular cutting blades 33. These cutting blades perform a a dual function, since they are evenly spaced along ed product which, after the fruit components have drum 31 transversely of the feed belt 32, with a separation sumcient to permit a plurality of eccentrically positioned rings having a relatively large diameter to rotate freely thereabout, the blades acting as spacers between adjacent rings. Cutting drum 31 is so positioned that knives 33 clear the conveyor belt by a space of the order of one-eighth inch. Drum, knives and rings are detailed in Figure 3.

The axial position of the rings 4|] is determined by four rollers, three of which, 4|, 42 and 44, are positioned about the circumference of the ring assembly, the fourth, 45, being positioned inside the rings. These rollers extend across the ring assembly transversely, being rotatably supported in journals 3| fixed in proper position on frame 2|.

Chain 36, which drives the feed belt 32, also passes over sprockets fixed to the external rollers 4|, 42 and 44, and the friction of the rings 40,

due to roller 45, against the rollers 4|, 42 and 44, causes the rings to revolve. The rings are so positioned that a separation of a very small amount exists between them and the belt, and the direction and speed of travel are the same for belt and rings at their adjacent points. Chain 36 engages, and is actuated by, sprocket 43, which in turn is driven by gear 26. Hence the movements of belt 32 and the rings 40 are in syn chronism.

In consequence, the shells which have been placed on the conveyor belt are drawn between the belt and the rings, and are flattened out so that shells are partially pressed into the spaces between adjacent rings. The pressure is sumcient to force the knives 39 into the surface of the peel, and the friction is suflicient to came the shells to adhere to the rings and knives and leave the conveyor belt as they emerge from the contact area. i

The eccentricity between knives and rings is such that the blades project beyond the rings opposite a resilient rubber roller 46 rotatably mounted in journals 48 attached to frame 2i, and engage therewith with sufficient pressure to completely separate the strips of peel. The separated strips are held by friction between adjacent rings, and carried an additional distance around the ring circumference to contact a transverse drum 41 from which project knives 49 which penetrate the peel strips at a point 56 with suflicient'force to cause the strips to adhere thereto and be transferred to drum 41, which is rotated by the same chain 36 which drives the rings 40.

A second resilient roller 5|, similar to roller 46, is positioned in journals 52 to engage knives 48 with suflicient pressure to cut each strip into a number of diced sections. The separation need not be entirely complete at this point between adjacent diced particles, but must be nearly so.

Friction between the diced particles and the knife blades 49 which have produced the transverse cuts across the strips received from the circular knives 39 causes the particles to remain fixed on drum 41 until forcibly removed therefrom.

For this purpose, a plurality of ejector bars 54, formed of non-corrosive metal, is provided Each of said bars, as may be seen from Figures 2 and 4, is of rectangular cross-section, and longer than drum 41. One of said bars is disposed between each adjacent pair of blades 43, extending equally beyond each end thereof. Each bar is of such size as to fit loosely between blades 43' at the surface of drum 41, and yet be able to force out any matter clinging to said knives if said bar is moved radially outward.

Endless coil springs 56 are disposed about the ends of bars 54 protruding beyond drum 41, holding said bars resiliently in position against the drum, permitting radial movement of each bar, and restoring the bars to their initial position after such radial movement.

The diced particles are permitted to adhere to the blades while drum 41 rotates about 150" past the point of contact with roller At this point, two rollers 55, rotatably supported by frame 2|, one at each end of and eccentric to drum 41, engage bars 54,- forcing each in succession radially outward, whereby the diced peel is forced from the blades 49, falling upon an inclined delivery chute 51, and thence into a wash trough 59 which forms a part of the washing and dcragging device to be next described.

Figure 5 shows a side view, partially in section, of the washer and dera-gger, while Figure 6 shows a view of the combination from the intake end.

A frame 10 supports at one end thereof a washing trough 59, which has parallel sides disposed roughly in continuation of the delivery chute 51, down which the diced segments of peel travel by gravity. The bottom 1| of trough 59 is of roughly semi-circular section in the plane of its sides.

A squirrel cage drum 12 is rotatably supported upon frame 10 directly above the trough 59. Drum 12 is formed upon a peripherally grooved circular element 14 keyed to a central shaft 15 revolving freely in bearings 16. A plurality of rods 11 are fixed in circular element 14 parallel to shaft 15 and evenly spaced concentrically thereabout. An annular plate 19 is fixed to the rod ends not held in element 14, thus forming a rigid skeleton drum similar in form to the rotor of a squirrel cage motor.

An endless conveyor is disposed over the squirrel cage 12, of such length as to hang to the bottom of wash trough 59. The conveyoris formed of a plurality of buckets pivotally linked by side straps 8|.

In operation, a motor 82, positioned on frame 10, drives the squirrel cage 12 through the medium of a universal joint 84, a shaft rotatably supported parallel to shaft 15 by a journal bearing 86, a shaft pulley 81, and a belt 89 which passes around pulley 81 and the peripherally grooved element 14 which supports the cage.

Trough 59 is filled with washing water 89, into which the diced particles are directed by chute 51. Buckets 80 scoop up the particles as the motor 82 drives the squirrel cage, and elevate them to the top of the cage, where they are dis charged as the buckets turn over.

An inclined chute 90 is supported on the frame 1|] in position to receive the diced fruit discharged from the buckets and direct it'into the de-ragging drum 9|.

Journal bearings 92 and 94 are positioned upon frame 18 in such fashion as to support a shaft 95 at an angle to the horizontal. Upon shaft 95 are disposed cross arms 96 terminally fixed to circular supporting hoops 91. About hoops 91 is stretched an open mesh metal fabric forming drum 9|, around the superior end of which is disposed a belt guide 99.

Motor 82 is so positioned upon the frame that a shaft pulley 94, disposed between the coupling 84 and said motor, is axially parallel to shaft 95, and alined with the belt guide 99 which is concentrically disposed about said shaft 95. A belt .material under continuous heat.

IIII running over pulley I80 and belt guide 99 permits motor 82 to drive drum 9|.

A shield I02 is formed. concentrically about the lower portion of drum 9|, and a drain pipe I84 is provided at the bottom of said shield. Discharge chute I05 is fixed on frame 10 in registry with the inferior end of drum 9|. A pipe I06 supplies water to the interior of drum 9| from a main supply I81.

The washed peel directed by chute 90 into the de-ragging drum 9| is not entirely separated into the diced squares, a number of portions clinging to each other, largely by virtue of the interior skin 01' rag. The constant rotation of drum 9| provides sufficient mechanical agitation and friction of and between the particles to tear the rag from the shell. The mesh of drum 8| is so chosen that the rag particles, together with the residual washing water from trough 59 and that additionally supplied as a lubricant by pipe I05, drain into shield I02 and are carried away by pipe I04, while the now completely separated and de-ragged peel particles are d scharged by gravity from the inferior end of the drum down the discharge chute I05.

The amount of agitation required to completely de-rag the shells is easily learned by experienee. The length of time to travel through the drum, and hence the amount of agitation, is controlled by the pitch of the shaft 95 and the speed of rotation, and it is merely a matter of mechanical expediency to properly coordinate them.

The diced peel is now ready for cooking in sugar syrup in the cookers 1, as described previously; after it is sufficiently candied, together with such other fruits as it is desired to mix therewith, the mixture is boiled in rcheaters 9 and finally prepared for canning in the strainer and humidifier I0 and II, which will now be described in detail.

The consistency of the syrup used, its close adherence to the candied material, and the necessity of keeping the material hot to ensure the success of the canning operation requires special treating means. Itis preferable to agitate the material thoroughly while draining to remove the maximum quantity of syrup, the material must be kept hot at the same time, and the humidity must be such as to prevent drying out of the Consequently, the heating, draining and humidifying apparatus must function as a unit.

The straining apparatus I0, illustrated in detail in Figures '1 and 8, is supported on a frame III] adjustable in reference to the horizontal. The adjusting means have been conventionally indicated as a pivotal frame support III at one end of said frame, and an adjustable screw 2 at the opposite end of said frame.

A closed cylindrical chamber 4 is supported on frame Illl. Eccentrically disposed therein upon a shaft I I5 is a cylindrical open mesh drum H5. The ends of shaft 5 project through the ends of chamber I I4, and are rotatably journaled in bearings I|1 fixed to frame IIII. Driven gears 9 are keyed to each projecting end of shaft H5. Endless chains I20 are disposed about gears H9 and about driving gears |2| alined therewith and keyed to an overhead intermediate driving shaft I22 rotatably journaled in bear- 7o ings I24 fixed on top of frame H8. A driving gear I25, keyed to said shaft I22, is driven by Fruit to be canned is poured from the reheaters into a hopper I30 and chute I3I which leads through an intake port I32 in. the superior end of chamber Ill into drum IIG. As the drum H6 is rotated by motor I29, the juice is strained oil and collects in the bottom of the closed chamber III, from which it may be removed through a drain tube I34 into any suitable receptacle, for subsequent use or other disposal.

The strained candied matter travels by gravity along the drum, finally dropping down a discharge chute I38 through an outlet port I31 into cans or other suitable containers I2. During passage along the drum, moist hot air continually surrounds the candied material. Humidifier It is a hot air heater having pipes I and I H through which air may continually pass into and out of chamber I I4. Means, not shown in the figures, are provided for injecting'a suitable amount of water vapor into the air passing into the strainer.

When a suitable amount of candied fruit has been weighed into the cans, they are capped, sealed, cooled, and may then be distributed to the trade. The sealer i4 and cooling bath I5 are purely conventional, and the details thereof form no part of the present invention.

Summarizing, my invention provides both a process and a mechanism for treating glac fruit; makes possible mechanical dicing and de-ragging of citrus fruit shells, which has hitherto been impractical; permits canning, without syrup, of candied fruits which are succulent and tender; and is particularly adapted to preparing paclr. aged fruit in units of thirty-five pounds or over, perfectly preserved without weight-adding and space-consuming syrup components.

I claim:

1. A continuous food processing device comprising an enclosing casing, a strainer within said casing, means for introducing material to be processed into said strainer, means for agitating the material within the strainer, means for discharging drained material from said strainer, and means for introducing during the straining period an atmosphere of hot air substantially saturated with water vapor into said casing but outside of the region of drainage.

2. A food processing device comprising an. en-

closing casing, a strainer within said owing...

means for continuously introducing material to be processed into said strainer, means for agitating the material Within the strainer, means for continuously discharging drained material from said strainer, and means for introducing during the straining period an atmosphere of hot air substantially saturated with Water vapor into said casing but outside of the region of drainage.

3. A food processing device comprising an enclosing casing, a strainer drum rotatably mounted upon an inclined axis within said casing, a hopper for introducing material to be processed to the upper end of said drum, means for rotating said drum, a discharge chute at the lower end of said drum leading out of said casing, and means for circulating heated air through said casing.

4. A food processing device comprising an enclosing casing, a strainer drum rotatably mounted upon an inclined axis within said casing, a hopper for introducing material to be processed to the upper end of said drum, means for rotating said drum, a discharge chute at the lower end of said drum leading out of said casing, means for circulating heated air through said casing, and means for humidifying said air.

5. Apparatus for straining and preheating edible material to be preserved, comprising a frame, a closed cylindrical chamber inclinedly positioned thereon, an inlet port disposed through the superior end of said chamber, an outlet port disposed through the inferior end of said chamber, a rotatable open mesh cylinder eccentrically disposed within said chamber and axially parallel thereto, said cylinder being in registry with said inlet and outlet ports, mesh for rotating said open mesh cylinder, and means for introducing into said chamber outside of the region of drainage, an atmosphere of a desired degree of humidity and temperature.

6. Apparatus for straining and preheating fruit products to be preserved, comprising a supporting frame, an inclined cylindrical chamber mounted thereon having a superior inlet end closure and an inferior outlet end closure, input and output ports disposed through said inlet and outlet end closures respectively, an open mesh cylinder rotatably positioned Within said chamber, said mesh cylinder being axially parallel to said chamber and eccentrically disposed therein, means for driving said cylinder, draining means associated with said chamber, an air inlet disposed through said chamber above the active portion of said open mesh cylinder, means for introducing air heated to a desired temperature therein, and means for adding a desired quantity of water vapor to said heated air.

CHARLES LACHMAN. 

